Women entrepreneurs in Jigawa State are receiving a major boost in their efforts to access international markets, thanks to a two-day sensitization exercise organized by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC). The initiative is a commitment to empowering women, strengthening the local economy, and expanding the horizon of businesses owned and led by women.
Abdulkadir Aliyu, the NEPC Coordinating Officer in the state, stated that the exercise is specifically designed to:
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Build Capacity: Equip women business owners with knowledge on export opportunities.
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Provide Support: Connect them with business support services, trade networks, and financing opportunities.
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Encourage Participation: Drive women’s involvement in the digital trade and value-added export sector.
Digitalizing for Global Reach
Crucially, the program includes a partnership with the development organization, ImpactHer, which is focusing on digitalization. Hauwa Isa, a volunteer with the organization, noted that ImpactHer is:
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Equipping women with digital marketing skills.
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Supporting 30 women to digitalize their businesses, enabling them to penetrate the global market.
To further incentivize participation, ImpactHer is offering a grant to two participants who exhibit exceptional commitment to scaling their trades globally.
Murkhtar Birniwa, President of the Jigawa Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, lauded the initiative, affirming the Chamber’s commitment to supporting the capacity building of business women in the state. Participants, like Hauwa Umar, commended the gesture and pledged to cascade the knowledge learned to other women entrepreneurs.
